GM to close Detroit battery assembly plant, but not for reasons you might think
GM is shuttering the Brownstown Battery Assembly Plant, though the closure has nothing to do with the automaker's electrification strategy.
Key points
- GM is closing its Brownstown Battery Assembly Plant south of Detroit, a spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch.
- The spokesperson said the closure is not tied to GM's EV strategy; the site was leased and the lease was ending.
- Brownstown built battery packs for the Cadillac Celestiq and drive units and packs for the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray.
General Motors is closing its Brownstown Battery Assembly Plant south of Detroit, a company spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch. Automotive News was first to report the closure.
The plant assembled battery packs for Cadillac's flagship EV, the Celestiq, and built electric drive units and battery packs for the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, a plug-in hybrid version of the sports car.
Why the plant is closing
The spokesperson said the closure is not related to GM's electric vehicle strategy. GM leased the site, and the lease was nearing its end.
Employees and the work done at Brownstown will move to other GM facilities, though the company would not confirm which ones.
The closure is not related to GM's electric vehicle strategy
— a GM spokesperson
Context for GM's EV plans
The article notes that GM's electrification strategy was affected after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the federal law signed last year, repealed incentives to produce and sell EVs. Since then, GM has reduced its public comments on EVs but has not abandoned full electrification.
GM still produces EVs including the Chevrolet Silverado EV and a limited-time Chevrolet Bolt. It is also researching battery chemistries such as lithium-manganese-rich and sodium-ion, and is rolling out a new $900 million facility to speed commercialization.
